SkyPanel Firmware updates are all about adding versatility and control - harnessing the awesome power of the SkyPanel and putting that potential into the hands of the gaffer, lighting designer, or programmer. SkyPanel Firmware 4 takes this ability to new heights with features such as Extended Color Control, light engine DMX control, additional lighting effects, Stage Mode, SkyPanel Web Portal, and much more.

The state-of-the-art light engines and electronics built into every SkyPanel have paved the way for a powerful new feature in SkyPanel Firmware 3.0: lighting effects. With SkyPanel Lighting Effects users can now choose and manipulate 12 effects without the need for a lighting console or hours of programming. Each effect has several parameters that allow for customization of the effect to fit your needs. The lighting effects include: candle, clouds passing, club lights, color chase, cop car, fire, fireworks, light strobe, lightning, paparazzi, pulsing, and television. SkyPanel Lighting Effects changes the game for on-set lighting effect generation.

Source MatchingLight Source: Matched.

SkyPanel’s calibrated light engine makes it possible to reproduce virtually any color. SkyPanel Firmware 3.0 takes further advantage of this by including 46 pre-programmed matches to common light sources found in the world around us. The sources include tungsten, high-pressure sodium vapor, cool white fluorescent, candle, glow sticks, and many more. SkyPanel Source Matching makes it even easier and faster to match a light source in the location you are shooting by simply picking the corresponding source from a list.

High Speed ModeGo fast, SkyPanel can keep up.

The new SkyPanel High Speed Mode is a highly requested feature that will allow users to shoot at extreme frame rates and camera settings. Using the high speed mode, productions can shoot at virtually any frame rate and shutter angle. It has been tested up to 25,000 fps and down to a two-degree shutter angle with no adverse effects on image quality. Say goodbye to flicker and roll bars forever.

sACN ImplementationMore methods of control than ever before.

Streaming ACN (also known as sACN) is fully implemented in SkyPanel Firmware 3.0. This communication standard allows for many modern lighting consoles to communicate directly with the SkyPanel using Ethernet-based equipment. The SkyPanel is also smart enough to detect whether it is receiving an Art-Net or sACN signal and will adjust accordingly with no setting changes.

Preset DMX ChannelYour colors at your fingertips.

Presets have become much more useful in SkyPanel Firmware 3.0 with the addition of eight factory presets and preset selection via a DMX channel. With a new total of 10 factory presets that include popular color temperatures, HSI values and gel colors, it is now faster and easier to select frequently used colors, even after a factory reset. In addition, at the end of every DMX protocol there is a new channel that allows for the selection of all 10 user and 10 factory presets in the SkyPanel.

Onboard RGBW ModeRGBW values with the turn of a knob.

Since the creation of the SkyPanel, users have been able to control the RGBW LED channels via DMX. With SkyPanel Firmware 3.0, it is now possible to switch to RGBW mode and adjust the different LED color channels directly on the control panel of the SkyPanel. Quickly adjust red, green, blue and white intensity levels, as well as master intensity value, via the knobs on the control panel. In addition, these values can be stored as a preset for easy access later.

RGBW Calibrated Color SpaceUnit to unit consistency now in RGBW mode.

RGBW mode is a great way to generate colors by adjusting the intensity values of each of the four LED channels in the SkyPanel. In the past, the RGBW mode has been an uncalibrated mode that gives direct control of the LED channels. There is now the option to select a calibrated RGBW mode that will still allow for the adjustment of red, green, blue and white levels, but in a calibrated color space that yields consistent results across SkyPanels. Following the ANSI E1.54 standard, it is also possible for the SkyPanel to match other RGBW fixtures that implement the same standard.

Frequency SelectionFine tuning for uncommon frame rates.

The frequency selection feature in SkyPanel Firmware 3.0 allows fine tuning of the SkyPanel’s light output to adjust for slight flicker or roll bars that might occur when shooting at uncommon frame rates or shutter angles. Pick from 10 different frequencies that could reduce or eliminate small amounts of these image anomalies while maintaining full control over the intensity and color tuneability of the SkyPanel.

SkyPanel Web ServerAdjust all settings via your web browser.

With the ability for the SkyPanel to be used as a network device, it is now possible to change all SkyPanel settings using any web browser. Simply connect the SkyPanel to a network via the EtherCon connector and once connected, use a web browser to access the SkyPanel web server and instantly adjust any SkyPanel parameter. This means you can now make setting adjustments from a device such as your mobile phone without having to touch the SkyPanel itself.

Enabled MenuAll your settings in one place.

With so many great features packed into the SkyPanel, it might seem difficult to know which ones are active and which ones are not, at any given time. To solve this issue, there is a new enabled menu that gives the user a list of all features in the SkyPanel and their current setting. With a quick glance you can review and change all SkyPanel settings in one menu.

How to videos

SkyPanel: How to Update Firmware

SkyPanel: How to use Lighting Effects

SkyPanel: How to use High Speed Mode

SkyPanel Firmware brings new features to the SkyPanel, improves the experience of using the remote and adds various other enhancements. SkyPanel Firmware 2.5 introduces five key new features: master/slave mode, expanded gel library and DMX protocol, xy coordinate DMX protocol, battery low voltage warning and control panel lock.

Master/Slave ModeThe new master/slave mode allows for one SkyPanel to control several other SkyPanels via DMX. When this mode is enabled, any SkyPanel connected to the master fixture by DMX cable will mimic adjustments made to the master’s control panel. This is an ideal option for smaller applications where a large DMX network and lighting console are not practical. When coupled with the SkyPanel Remote, the master/slave mode becomes a powerful solution to control a small network of fixtures linked together.

Expanded Gel ModeFirmware 2.5 expands on the popular gel mode introduced in Firmware 2.0. LEE Filters 700 Series is now implemented in the SkyPanel, bringing 41 new colors into the SkyPanel gel library for an increased total of 318 colors. This expansive palette of well-known colors also has an updated DMX protocol, which allows users to fade between two different gel colors and also to select the way in which the transition between colors is carried out.

x,y Coordinate DMX ProtocolThe xy coordinate DMX protocol provides a new way to select a color with SkyPanel. Using the familiar CIE 1931 color space chromaticity diagram, this protocol allows users to select x and y coordinates to produce a particular color within that color space. This new mode is useful for advanced applications where selecting a specific point in the CIE 1931 color space is critical.

Control Panel Lock and Low Battery WarningIf using a battery to power the SkyPanel, Firmware 2.5 now gives a warning if the battery voltage has dropped below a user-defined value, taking the guesswork out of battery changes. A lock feature has also been implemented in the SkyPanel control panel, which is turned on and off by holding down the encoder for five seconds.

Other EnhancementsOther interface enhancements in Firmware 2.5 include large text during CCT or saturation adjustments, better menu layout, and voltage readout on the main screen when a battery is in use.

Features from SkyPanel Firmware 2.0

Rosco/Lee Gel LibrariesAlready able to create a vast number of colors, SkyPanel can now, from Firmware 2.0, emulate a wide variety of well-known lighting gels, making the fixtures more versatile than ever before. The SkyPanel’s calibrated light engine reproduces color filters more accurately than a lighting console and enables users to select familiar gels in seconds via the on-board controls or through a new DMX protocol. SkyPanel gel libraries comprise Rosco and Lee filter categories that include color corrections, party colors, Rosco CalColor, Storaro Selection and many more.

Low End ModeSkyPanel is known for its impressive output, but with camera sensors becoming more sensitive, the ability to produce good quality low light levels is also important. The Low End Mode enables SkyPanel to generate accurate CCTs with high color rendition and smooth dimming at very low light levels. Finer control over the entire dimming range expands SkyPanel applications even further.

Tungsten ModeTungsten sources have endured for more than 120 years because of their excellent light properties and attractive dimming behavior. In the new Tungsten Mode, SkyPanel can mimic the dimming curve and strike on-and-off effect of a traditional tungsten lamp. The CCT warms as the light is dimmed and when the intensity drops to zero quickly there is a short afterglow of warm light. This mode is perfect for mixing the SkyPanel with tungsten sources or for producing a familiar effect.

DMX Fan ControlFans on the SkyPanel provide cutting-edge cooling that allows the LEDs to last for a long time and prevents CCT shift during usage. But even at less than a whisper-quiet 20 dB, fans can become a sound problem on the most sensitive sets. For added control and to eliminate any sound issues for delicate installations, the SkyPanel fans can now be set to different modes or even turned off for short periods of time, directly via DMX. The SkyPanel will always protect itself from damage by turning the fans back on at a very low level if the LEDs get too hot.

Dimming CurvesFrom Firmware 2.0 the number of SkyPanel dimming curves increases from one to four, allowing different dimming behavior for specific applications. The exponential curve provides fine control at the low end of the dimming scale, while the logarithmic curve allows for better control at the high end. The ‘S’ curve gives both high and low end dimming fidelity, but limited control in the middle, and the linear curve gives a one-to-one translation of the output to intensity level.

RDM ImplementationAn increasingly popular feature in advanced lighting fixtures, RDM (Remote Device Management) is now fully implemented in the SkyPanel. This two-way communication between the fixture and the console saves time by facilitating control of many SkyPanel functions from the ground, including DMX address and protocol, fan mode, temperature sensor readings, display settings, IP address and special modes.

Art-Net ImplementationLighting communication protocols and data infrastructures continue to evolve and change. Art-Net provides DMX512-A and RDM functionality over Ethernet network protocols. In SkyPanel Firmware 2.0 Art-Net is fully implemented, allowing an expanded range of network devices to be used in building a complex lighting rig.

Save Error Logs to USBSkyPanel has been built to be incredibly robust. If an error should ever occur, the fixtures are easy to diagnose and service, with the automatically generated error log being the first step in determining what went wrong. This error log can now be exported to a USB stick, reducing the need to connect the SkyPanel to a computer.

Save/Load Presets via USBWith the SkyPanel it is possible to store and recall up to 10 different user presets, enabling the creation of a color palette for a particular production. It is now possible to save these presets to a USB stick and transfer them to another SkyPanel, making them more sharable and versatile.

Save/Load Settings via USBSkyPanel Firmware 2.0 speeds up the process of configuring individual fixtures on large SkyPanel rigs by allowing all settings to be exported to a USB stick and transferred to another fixture. The DMX protocol, fan mode, dimming curve and many more settings can be loaded in a matter of seconds, with minimal menu navigation.

SkyPanel Firmware

If using a USB flash drive to update your SkyPanel, please use a USB drive that is USB version 1.0 or 2.0 and is formatted to FAT or FAT32. The update file (.upd) must be in the root directory of the drive and the USB Mode on the SkyPanel must be set to "Normal". Once the USB stick is inserted into the SkyPanel, the fixture will automatically look for the update files. When found, a list of update files will appear in the display. Highlight the update file and click the encoder. The update will begin - do not remove the USB stick until the file is completely copied.

If using ALSM (ARRI Lighting Service Manager) to update your SkyPanel or L-Series fixture, install the ALSM onto your Mac or PC. Then simply open the application and connect the SkyPanel to the computer via Ethernet cable. For the L-Series, connect your fixture to the computer via a mini-USB cable. The ALSM will automatically find your fixture once powered on and connected. Select the "Firmware Update" tab and then select the fixture you wish to update in the column on the left side of the screen. Click "Update Firmware" to begin the update. Do not disconnect your fixture from the power source or from the computer until the update is complete.

Do not disconnect your fixture from the power source or from the computer until the update is complete.

SERVICEIf you have problems with your fixture or the update, please contact an ARRI service center at service-lighting@arri.de